Murder suspect found hanged after SWAT bursts in

Man refused to negotiate with officers in the murder investigation

Updated 11:16 pm, Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

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Officials in Texas City remove the body of a murder suspect who, after hours of negotiation with authorities, refused to leave his apartment. When officers raided the house, they found him hanging in a closet.

Officials in Texas City remove the body of a murder suspect who, after hours of negotiation with authorities, refused to leave his apartment. When officers raided the house, they found him hanging in a closet.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

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Texas City Police speak to Windsor Estate Apartments neighbors after the Texas City Police SWAT negotiations with a suspect locked inside an apartment went bad. The suspect was found hanged about 20 minutes after the negotiations ended, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Texas City . less

Texas City Police speak to Windsor Estate Apartments neighbors after the Texas City Police SWAT negotiations with a suspect locked inside an apartment went bad. The suspect was found hanged about 20 minutes ... more

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Texas City Police Department authorities investigate the apartment of an individual who reused to step out of the place and end it up hanging himself inside the bedroom, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Texas City. About 20 minutes after the negotiations failed, the authorities went inside the apartment finding the man dead. less

Texas City Police Department authorities investigate the apartment of an individual who reused to step out of the place and end it up hanging himself inside the bedroom, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Texas City. ... more

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Texas City Police Department officers investigate the scene. The dead suspect's girlfriend, at first thought to be a hostage, was taken into custody.

Texas City Police Department officers investigate the scene. The dead suspect's girlfriend, at first thought to be a hostage, was taken into custody.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

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Numbered evidence inside the apartment being investigated after a suspect hanged himself after failed negotiations with the authorities, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Texas City .

Numbered evidence inside the apartment being investigated after a suspect hanged himself after failed negotiations with the authorities, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Texas City .

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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Officials remove the bagged body of an individual who after hours of negotiation with the authorities refused to leave his apartment and hanged himself, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Texas City .

Officials remove the bagged body of an individual who after hours of negotiation with the authorities refused to leave his apartment and hanged himself, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, in Texas City .

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle

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The man was suspected in the death of Jesus Leal Valdez, shown above. (Pasadena police)

The man was suspected in the death of Jesus Leal Valdez, shown above. (Pasadena police)

Murder suspect found hanged after SWAT bursts in

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A man identified by authorities as a murder suspect hanged himself Wednesday in a Texas City apartment where had barricaded himself with his girlfriend, police said.

The man had been holed up for hours in a unit at the Windsor Estate apartments at 2801 FM 2004, the Texas City Police Department said. Police have not released his identity.

Officers and federal marshals tried to serve an arrest warrant Wednesday morning in connection with a Harris County murder case, police said. His girlfriend, originally believed to be a hostage, ultimately was found to be an "active participant," police said. She left a barricaded bedroom and was arrested.

Negotiations to persuade the man to come out of the apartment failed, even after officers twice deployed gas, police said in a statement. SWAT members burst into a bedroom about 12:50 p.m. and found the man had hanged himself in a closet. Emergency medical personnel were unable to revive him, police said.

The man was suspected in the slaying of Jesus Leal Valdez, 41, whose body was found Saturday buried 2 feet beneath a chicken coop in northwest Harris County in the 5200 block of Mohawk. Valdez, who was initially identified as Jesus "Jesse" Leal, was reported missing on Dec. 31.

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences ruled Valdez' death was a homicide and determined he died from multiple sharp and blunt force injuries.